(no subject)
one of my first memories back :) -- with the great miss klee.
that was a happy moment. i've done a lot of sleeping and hanging out with the cool people like her and sean.
_____________
i wrote a variation of this on our trip journal:
i think that when you take an altruistic trip, it's almost guaranteed that you will come back & see life in a new way. for me, it's too much to put into words. there are so many ways and words i can use to describe -- amazing. but it just doesn't do what i felt any justice.
while in guatemala, i tried to so hard to put every moment in a mental box -- but i didn't do such a great job. i wish i could remember every single second i experienced.
the children were great -- there are so many mental snapshots i have with them and of them. there was one day when they kept running in to our señora's house as we were having lunch, bringing us each a huge, huge mango. it was damn good too.
there is so much color in guatemala -- i think it projects into their spirits. most of the people in guatemala don't have much, but they are happy to give you what they can.
it's nice when all you're wearing is sunscreen & insect repellent but still, a guy thinks you're beautiful. and he shows you the best way he knows how.
in guatemala, i saw my father. :)
and my paternal aunt/uncle, his two good friends, my maternal grandmother/aunt/cousin, my aunt's really good friend and my nana's nurse. it was a beautiful night.
my aunt told me, before taking me to see my dad -- that he was a very positive person, no matter what. i knew inside my heart she was trying to say, the years have changed him.
diabetes hasn't been so good to him. but all i could think was wow, i can finally really have something to tie me to him. this thing of positivity -- never giving up because deep down you know things will be better. it's so nice to have that sense of belonging.
i miss guatemala, but i know my life is here for now. i don't know what life has in store for me, but i do know i really loved it there. best time of my life (so far -- hehe) for sure.
_____________
i got this shirt from pedro, an archaeologist at one of the mayan sites we visited -- takalik abaj. he was super sweet & nice. who gives someone the shirt off their back? someone like pedro, that's who.
i miss her.
retalhulean sunset.
chichicastenango:sunday/thursday day markets. here, one of the two churches that face each other.
antigua.
view from templo II de las mascaras (en tikal)
we helped to build nella's new house :) - this is her old house that will become a store.
juanito.
astrid & evelyn
nana
tia betty/dominic/marcos
mi padre.
i still have like 13 other rolls to seep through -- i'm excited to see the full outcome.
i'm thinking about you and your abuelita albert.
you can find more here on two albums on facebook. no log in required.
http://usc.facebook.com/album.php?aid=2028794&l=e4495&id=3402861
http://usc.facebook.com/album.php?aid=2028742&l=9b2d1&id=3402861
ps·i'm speaking at our recognition ceremony. :D
The only ones for me are the mad ones, the ones who are mad to live, mad to talk, mad to be saved, desirous of everything at the same time, the ones who never yawn or say a commonplace thing, but burn like fabulous roman candles exploding like spiders across the stars and in the middle you see the blue center light pop and everyone goes, " AWWW!"
-Jack Kerouac